Until the middle of this century, development of medical treatment for human disease was intimately connected with the plant kingdom. Major breakthroughs such as digitalis, aspirin, morphine, vincristin and antibiotics have resulted from the study and usage of natural products. Gaps remain between the prescribed pharmaceutical pills and natural food therapy.
The human body contains about 55-60% water. Humans by nature enjoy drinking liquids. Liquids containing energy supply, mineral, nutritional supplement and medicine are always the first choice for a patient after surgery and IV nutrition. Coffee possesses a pleasant aroma and is an enjoyable taste experience that many believe reduces stress during the workday. Consequently, the United States consumes about 70% of the world's coffee crop, or about 3 cups a day for each American. Coffee beverages contain about 100 mg caffeine per cup (per 8 ounces). Coffee stimulates the central nervous system, increases diuresis, dilates the vascular system and combats sleep, which is possibly linked to the caffeine-mediated glycogen sparing effect secondary to an increased rate of lipolysis.
However, coffee can penetrate the placenta and is possibly related to birth defects. So, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has moved caffeine off its "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRA) list to an interim list in 1980. Public concern has developed. Avoiding caffeine helps to prevent undesirable stimulation which might contribute to spontaneous ventricular fibrillation in a damaged heart, especially early in the convalescent period following a myocardial infarction (Hemzacek KI: Dietary protocol for the patient who has suffered a myocardial infarction, J. Am Diet Asso 72:182, 1978).
Thus, many decaffeinated coffee procedures have been taught to reduce the caffeine content and its side effects. In U.S. Pat. No. H673 in 1989, Hallah et al provided over-roast (400-450.degree. F. for 45-60 minutes) and extract to obtain an instant coffee substitute from soybeans. Kay even discussed a preparation of a coffee substitute with soybeans in 1980 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,409) and further mixed the product with other nutritional supplements (e.g. dandelion root) and conventional coffee to form a beverage. In addition, Shirbroun teaches beverage made largely from soybeans (U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,324, 1980).
However, Hullah et al, Kay, and Shirbroun never suggested or attempted to make an independent satisfactory beverage. It is well known that coffee aroma arises from more than 500 volatile compounds and complicated process. Therefore, the fact that those prior products lack the attractive aroma is not entirely surprising in light of the methods employed to process soybeans etc.
Just as every disease has its own specialized medical care, it is logical to have a specialized food product to address different categories of disease and health concerns. Dr. Staney J. Dudrick et al. conducted a pilot study in 1985 on a 40-years old man who suffered from Type IIB hyperlipidemia and frequent angina. His cardiac catherization showed 100% occlusion of his right coronary artery and diffuse atherosclerotic lesions in the left coronary arteries. After intravenous 20-50% Dextrose with optimal amino acids, mineral, vitamin, mineral and non-fat anticholesterol perfusion, his angina disappeared within 2 days and his coronary artery was reopened and he was able to go back to work (Russell C. Maulitz, Editor: The Three Leading Killer Diseases in America, Rutgers Univ. Press, 1988, 1989). However, this treatment needs continuously TPN intravenous infusion in hospital and is not a beverage for consumer's daily use.
Actually, many grains contain high arginine-phenylalanine-isolucine-valine-serine-aspartic acid-leucine-alanine (which have the highest inverse cholesterol rate as: -0.66, -0.64, -0.57, -0.55, -0.54, -0.37, -0.30, -0.25 according to Dr. Dudrick's research) and "No fat" (less than 0.5% fat is considered no-fat by FDA). Also most non-soy legumes, chestnuts, and lotus seed contain not more than 1.5% by weight of lipid which mainly is unsaturated fatty acids. Grains contain a simple carbohydrate, which can be quickly absorbed similarly to Dextrose. Grains have delicious taste, low protein, "no-fat", and no cholesterol. The variety of grains posses broad individual nutritional characteristics and covers many health concerns.
Grains/legumes are good carriers for most nutritional supplements and have the capacity to provide a cooperative relationship with every added ingredients, e.g., nuts/seeds/herbs/flowers/vegetables. This broad range will not only compensate for each other's deficiency but also coact together to provide a coffee-type product containing optimal amino acids, quick absorbable simple carbohydrate, long lasting complex carbohydrate, fiber and starch to slow gastrointestine digestion and absorption, essential mineral and nutritional supplement, and very little fatty acids for an anticholesterol function. This coffee substitute prepared mainly from light roasted grains/legumes/seeds is able to provide a delicious natural anticholesterol beverage with similar ingredients to Dr. Dudrick intravenous perfusion solution. All of these support the present invention for merging the enjoyment from drinking a novel coffee-type beverage with food and herb therapy (phytotherapy) for a synergetic health function.